In November 2016, the Department for Transport announced that the InterCity West Coast franchise would be superseded by the West Coast Partnership, which would include operating High Speed 2 services from 2026. The DfT required that bidders have experience in high-speed trains and infrastructure, hence all partnered with an existing high-speed operator. In June 2017, the DfT announced that three consortia had been shortlisted to bid for the franchise:
In December 2018Renfe Operadora joined the MTR-led bid. In April 2019, the Stagecoach-led bid was disqualified after it proposed significant changes to the commercial terms. In August 2019 the DfT awarded the franchise to the First Trenitalia consortium with Avanti West Coast to commence operations on 8 December 2019. The Competition and Markets Authority launched a merger inquiry into the award of the franchise following a referral from the European Commission.
Services
Avanti West Coast currently operates the same services as Virgin Trains did on the West Coast Main Line. When High Speed 2 opens, it will also operate these services. Over the course of the franchise several timetable changes are expected to be made. The intercity routes are shown below:
Future services
Future services include:
a daily service will be introduced between London Euston and from December 2020, with an additional northbound service from 2022
additional calls will be made at Motherwell from December 2020
an additional service will be introduced to from December 2022
a direct service will be introduced between London Euston and during the summer months from May 2021
Subject to approval by the Office of Rail and Road, an additional hourly service will be introduced between London Euston and with a stop at from December 2022
additional direct journeys at to and from from December 2022
extension of the daily service from London Euston to to from December 2022
earlier first trains and later last trains from London Euston to on weekends from December 2022
earlier first trains and later last trains from London Euston to on weekends by December 2022
Later last trains from London Euston to on weekdays by December 2020
Rolling stock
Avanti West Coast commenced operations having inherited the existing Super Voyager and Pendolino fleets from Virgin Trains.
Current fleet
Future fleet
All 20 of the Class 221Super Voyager units will be replaced by 23 new trains from the Hitachi A-train family with maintenance taking place at Alstom'sOxley TRSMD depot in Wolverhampton. These trains are to be divided into thirteen Class 805 bi-mode multiple units and ten Class 807electric multiple units. The 805 units are to be used for services to,, and North Wales and the 807 units are to be used for services to, and . Avanti West Coast will also operate the new fleet for High Speed 2 services from 2026.
